Blaze devastation scars survivors

With the wounds of last year's devastating fires still raw, two catastrophic blazes in California have claimed 50 lives and counting.

Most of the fatalities have been caused by the so-called "Camp Fire" in and around the town of Paradise, population 26,000, in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains about 130 kilometers north of the capital Sacramento.

The deadliest fire in the state's history has also destroyed 6,522 residences and 260 commercial structures, making it also the most destructive fire ever.

Since Thursday, the smoke from the Camp Fire has obscured the skyline of San Francisco, about 270 kilometers south of the fire site. The smoke also has blanketed the Bay Area, as the sun appears orange against the gray sky.

The air quality authority in the region has issued an alert. Occasionally, pedestrians with face masks can be seen walking on streets.

"I haven't seen anything like this before. It looks like evening, even though it's the middle of the day," said Jeff Ng, who has lived in the Bay Area for more than 40 years.

Ng said he remembered three devastating wildfires in Northern California - one in the 1980s, another last year and the current one.

"There's a complete lack of rain. Usually in November, we have rains. But this year, it's bone dry," he said. "I think it's definitely a result of climate change. The weather pattern has changed in the past few years."

The cause of the fire is unknown, but authorities said strong winds, little rainfall and dry grounds and vegetation contributed.

Air quality is the least of the concerns for Linda Chen, a resident of Cupertino, California, who has friends in Paradise, the most stricken area.

More than 5,000 fire personnel are still battling the Camp Fire that has burned 50,585 hectares. As of Tuesday, 30 percent of the fire had been contained, according to Cal Fire.

But many risks and hazards, along with steep terrain in some areas, will impede firefighting efforts. Authorities expect full containment by Nov 30.

In Southern California, another deadly fire west of Los Angeles had blazed through nearly 40,000 hectares. The Woolsey Fire has killed two people and destroyed 435 structures. The fire is 35 percent under control.

As photos of destroyed homes and damaged cars continue to surface on social media, people are sharing photos of missing family members and expressing prayers for their safety and for that of firefighters.

Some Facebook groups were set up to help reunite animals by showing pictures of those lost and found.

"It hurts to watch the terrible news. It hurts more to go through the loss," said Chen.

liazhu@chinadailyusa.com

(China Daily 11/15/2018 page11)